Indian archery team felicitated for Worlds performance

The Archery Association of India (AAI) felicitated its team here on Tuesday for the impressive performance in the recently concluded World Championships.

India won two silver medals at the competition in Copenhagen. It is the first time India won two medals at a single edition of the Worlds.

The Indian women's recurve team of Deepika Kumari, Laxmirani Majhi and Rimil Buriuly lost the final 4-5 to Russia in an edge-of-the-seat encounter at the Christiansborg Palace on Sunday. Earlier on Saturday, Rajat Chauhan also created history by becoming the first Indian compound archer to win an individual medal, a silver, at Worlds. Chauhan was beaten narrowly by Danish Stephan Hansen 143-147 in the men's individual compound final.

AAI president Vijay Kumar Malhotra congratulated the women's recurve team.

"AAI's focus is now to provide intensive mental training to our archers through international experts so that they can learn to handle the stress of medal matches well," Malhotra said.

He also praised the team's coaches saying they deserve "appreciation for their hard work and dedication".

The Indian archery team will participate in five international competitions and four national ranking tournaments before the 2016 Rio Olympics.